


Roses for a Lifetime

by aerobesk



Series: Roses for a Lifetime and Beyond [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-17
Updated: 2013-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-05 00:15:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1087317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aerobesk/pseuds/aerobesk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ray just really needed coffee. He had been sitting in the stuffy office for 6 hours straight listening to Gavin laughing at the video he was (supposed to be) editing, and Michael was only about halfway through recording a rage quit. Ray stood, grabbing his mug, and exited the room as quietly as possible, not that he couldn’t have slammed the door and not gone unnoticed.

  
Sighing with relief as the sounds of yelling and laughter faded behind him, Ray walked down the hall and turned the corner towards the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks however when he saw Joel standing with his head leaning on the wall, his face red with an expression of rage that Michael would have been proud of, and both fists clenched, knuckles white. Ray slowly backed back around the corner, glad that Joel was too busy in his own rage induced haze to notice him. He walked quickly back towards the office before an idea struck him.

  
He turned to Kara’s desk and picked up a piece of paper. He went through 4 before he found one that was blank. He folded it into 4s, and then ripped off one of the sections, grabbing a pen and sketching for a while before putting the pen down, picking up his masterpiece and practically running down the hall.

  
He stopped in front of Joel, who still hadn’t moved, and held out the piece of paper. Joel didn’t notice, and the younger male stood for a minute before coughing slightly. Joel jumped, turning quickly, one arm pulling back to instinctively throw a punch. It froze however when his brain caught up, taking in the image of Ray standing there, one hand clutching and empty Sailor Mars mug, the other holding out a scrap of paper with a pretty well drawn rose on it, and a surprised look on his face. The Puerto Rican began to draw the paper back, slight sadness crossing his features. “Sorry man. Just, uh, thought you could feel better…” He trailed off, shoving the paper into the pocket of his hoodie and stepping around Joel to head to the kitchen.

  
Joel’s brain finally caught up with what was happening and he spun, grabbing Ray’s shoulder, causing him to jump and flinch slightly. “Wait! I’m sorry; I was just, uh…” Joel tried to apologize, failing epically. “Was that drawing for me?”

  
Ray coughed a little, turning pink. “Uh, yeah… Sorry, I realize it was stupid now, I just thought-“

  
“Can I see it?”

  
Ray looked a little surprised, turning a darker shade of pink as he pulled out the paper, now slightly crumpled, and handed it to Joel.

  
Joel looked it over. The ink had smeared a little bit, and the corner of the paper had been torn unevenly, but the drawing itself was really good. Joel smiled slightly as he looked it over, before looking back up at Ray. “Can I keep this?”

  
Ray’s eyes widened and he stared for a moment before nodding. “Uh, yeah man, it was for you in the first place…”

  
Joel’s smile widened and he folded the paper carefully in half before placing it in his pocket. “Thanks Ray.”

  
Ray smiled back, nodding, before walking back towards the office. “Weren’t you going to the kitchen?”

  
Ray stopped, turning pink again as he turned around, his head down as he sped past Joel towards the kitchen again.

  
Joel chuckled as he watched the younger boy speed around the corner, and he walked back to his office with a smile on his face, his hand brushing against the paper in his pocket, the reason he was angry forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right.

“And so I told him, ‘If you make me say that on camera, I’m not doing a short with you ever again!”

Ray laughed, watching Joel’s face as he told the story. The two lived in the same apartment building, and this was their third time this week walking home together.

Joel was just getting to the good part in his story when he felt a drop of water fall on his nose. He looked up, watching a few more drops whiz past his face and splatter onto the sidewalk.

Ray looked up too, smiling and pulling his hood down, letting the water splash across his cheeks and glasses.

“Your glasses are getting wet.”

“I know.”

“You like the rain?”

Ray’s smile widened and he stuck his arms out, spinning quickly in a circle and laughing. “I love it.”

Joel watched Ray stare at the sky as the rain started to come down harder. As it turned from a light sprinkle to a full downpour, the two decided it was time to move, running the few blocks to their building, Ray running through the biggest puddles he could find, both of them laughing.

When they finally made it through the doors, both of them were soaked and breathless. The lady at the reception desk looked up, but ignored them when she saw it was Ray, the crazy boy who always made sure to go and stand outside during thunderstorms.

The two finally stopped chuckling as they reached the elevators, letting a family with 4 kids get in before them and waiting for it to get back. Just as the doors were closing, Ray reached into his backpack, pulling something out and reaching out to the wall, writing something on a piece of paper. Joel leaned in to see what it was, but Ray kicked out at him, missing but getting his point across.

Joel huffed, crossing his arms and watching the elevator numbers get higher, and then slowly lower as it came back down. The doors opened, a young couple getting out and allowing Joel and Ray to get in. Ray swiftly grabbed the paper, entered the elevator, and continued writing without missing a beat.

Joel hit both the 7th and 9th floor buttons, watching as Ray stopped writing, examined the paper, nodded and shoved his pen back into his backpack. He held out the paper to Joel, who stared at the pink sticky note with a black rose drawn on it.

“For walking me home all the time!”

Joel looked up from the paper into Ray’s smiling face. He grinned back, taking the note and sliding it into his pocket. When he looked back up to thank Ray, the younger man was suddenly much closer than he was before. Joel’s eyes widened as he felt cool lips against his own, a drop of rain sliding down and trailing onto the corner of his mouth.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds, and Ray pulled back when the elevator dinged. The doors opened and Ray walked out, turning back to smile at the still stunned Joel. He winked quickly, face slightly flushed.

“Thanks again Joel!”

The elevator doors closed on Ray walking down the hall, his AH hoodie disappearing from Joel’s view. He stared at the doors until they opened again two floors later, and slowly he walked down the hallway. He unlocked his door, walking inside and setting his keys on the counter. He went to the living room, practically falling onto the couch.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the sticky note. The sticky part was curled slightly, and the corners had water stains from being in his wet pocket, but the inked rose was still intact. He smiled, remembering cool, wet lips on his.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right.

“Should this go here?”

“No, I think it would look better over here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Joel. I am sure that your couch would look better against the wall rather than in the middle of the living room.”

“No need to get snippy…”

“Joel, just help me more the couch.”

It had been Ray’s idea to move in together. They had been dating for almost a year now, so it made sense. He had mentioned it as nonchalantly as possible over breakfast at Joel’s. Joel was all for the idea though, and the two had quickly decided that Ray’s would be the better of the two apartments to move into. Not only was it cleaner, cheaper, and had more space, it got them away from the crabby old lady who lived next to Joel who liked to bang really loudly on the wall next to the bedroom with her broom during their “alone time.” This had caused many problems, including a very awkward call to the front desk, and they had since then kept all ministrations to Ray’s place.

They had sold half of Joel’s furniture, moving the other half to mix and match with Ray’s. At the moment they had finished moving most of the bigger things, and Joel was  
putting his clothes into the dresser in the bedroom while Ray was setting up Joel’s toaster and microwave that he “just couldn’t bare to part with.” Ray was almost done setting the time on the microwave when a bang and loud unabashed cursing came from the bedroom.

“Joel? You ok?”

A heavy sigh answered his question and he wandered in to see the taller brunette sitting on the bed, his left leg resting on his right knee and his head in his hands.

“What happened?”

“I dropped the end of the bed on my foot.”

“Why were you moving the bed?”

“I dropped my book behind it.”

“Are you ok?”

Joel just groaned, flopping backwards and remaining silent. Ray left the man in peace, heading back out to the kitchen. As he passes the counter, the bowl of receipts caught  
his eye. He quickly grabbed one off the top and a pen, sketching for a minute and practically running back to the bedroom.

Joel was still in the same position, and Ray ran into the room, taking a flying leap and landing right across the older man’s stomach.

Joel shouted and jumped in surprise, staring wide-eyed at the small Puerto Rican laying over top of him.

“Can I help you!?”

Ray just smiled and held up the receipt. A rose was drawn across the blank back of it, this time with a ribbon wrapped around the stem and tied into a bow. Ray’s little signature was in the bottom right hand corner as it always was, and somehow the little drawing made him smile more than it probably should have.

He sat up, dislodging the boy on his stomach but quickly grabbing him, flipping him over and sitting him on his lap. Ray yelped, surprised by the sudden manhandling, and  
instinctively latched onto Joel’s neck.

Joel wrapped his arms around Ray’s waist, leaning in and pecking him on the nose before standing, carrying his prized out to the kitchen, setting him down and putting the drawing into his pocket.

“C’mon, lets get some work done!”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right. Sorry, apparently I posted chapter 3 twice, this is the actual chapter 4. Which sucks because this is my favorite chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, apparently I posted chapter 3 twice, but I fixed it, this is the actual chapter 4. Which sucks because this is my favorite chapter.

‘If he asks me one more time…’

“Are you sure this place was a good idea?”

Joel sighed, dropping his head into his palm. Ray was sitting across from him at the table of the fancy restaurant, one hand holding the menu open, his other hand fidgeting with the collar of the dress shirt he had borrowed from Michael. His own was dirty (or had been sitting in the back of a drawer for three years, same thing) and he had had to borrow a clean one when Joel had sprung a surprise dinner for two on him. 

Ray looked up from gawking at the extremely high prices to watch Joel’s face.

“I mean, it’s not like it’s even and occasion or anything.”

“I know Ray. Maybe I just wanted to take my boyfriend of three years out for a nice fancy dinner, and have a proper, usual date for once rather than take out and video games?”

Ray looked back down at his menu, a little ashamed. That made sense; of course Joel was just being a good boyfriend. The waiter came over, and the two ordered. Joel was happy to see that Ray didn’t get the least expensive thing on the menu. At least he was somewhat comfortable.

The two ate kind of quietly, a surprisingly light tone to the evening, given the fact that they hadn’t really started the evening off well. Joel was especially quiet, and Ray had to, several times, coax the conversation up to something that Joel would talk about. Finally, he reverted to something that he had read on Google about a drop in the price of oil, and that launched Joel into a thirty-minute spiel on god knows what, giving Ray the chance to finish his meal and pull a pen out of his pocket, doodling on the napkin.

“Sorry Ray, lost track of time for a while there…”

The dessert menu had just arrived, but neither of them was still very hungry, and Joel asked for the check. Ray scratched a few more lines on his napkin before smiling and slipping it next to Joel’s hand.

Joel looked back from the waiter to see Ray smiling at him. He smiled back, reaching out for his glass, his hand brushing against something. He looked down at the white piece of cloth and the rose sketched onto it. He smiled wider, staring at it for a moment before standing.

“Joel? We haven’t gotten the check yet.” Ray said, watching the taller man with confusion. 

“I know.” Was the short reply, and Joel fidgeted with his jacket for a moment before turning to Ray and slowly lowering himself down onto one knee.

Ray’s confused expression instantly changed to one of surprise and hope. He watched as Joel reached into his pocket, clasping something between both hands, before beginning to speak.

“Ray, we’ve been together for a while now, and I know that I love you, and I know that you love me. I also know that you hate sappy things, but you’re going to listen to this anyway. I have to admit, that first day I saw you in the office, I didn’t think, “That’s the guy that I want to spend my life with.” It wasn’t a rom-com or a soap opera. But now, 4 years later, I have to say that I can’t see myself wanting anyone else.”

He fiddled with the box for a moment before opening it up, revealing a gold band with a red ruby sitting in the middle resting in a pillow of red silk. Silver inlaid vines with roses decorated the sides, not tacky, but nice.

Ray clapped a hand over his mouth, a gesture that was overdone, but he was starting to cry now, and he honestly wasn’t thinking that deeply about it.

“Ray, will you marry m-“ He was cut off as the smaller man leaped off the chair and into his arms, sobbing “yes” a few times into his ear. They hugged for a minute, Joel pulling back and pulling out the ring, slipping it onto Ray’s ring finger.

Ray lunged forward again, not caring that he was sobbing on the floor in the middle of a fancy restaurant. The hugged until the waiter came back, awkwardly setting the check on the table. They stood then, Joel paying for the meal and grabbing the napkin with the rose on it, stuffing it and the ring box into his pocket before grabbing Ray’s hand, leading his fiancé out of the restaurant and back to their apartment.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right.

An aisle of glistening white silk, lined with pots of purple flowers and red ribbons, led up to a mahogany alter lined with Baby’s Breath and Rose petals. The Groom stood next to the alter, sweaty hands folded together. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Calm down Joel. It’s going to be fine.” Joel turned and smiled at Burnie, who gave him a reassuring squeeze before dropping his hand again. Behind Burnie stood Shannon, Matt and Gus. Shannon was tugging at his tie and Gus and Matt were in deep conversation that was too low to hear.

Joel looked out into the audience. They had split Rooster Teeth in half between the two of them; mostly Achievement Hunter affiliates on one side, and RWBY and RVB folks on the other. Brandon, Jordan and Chris were having a conversation in the front row; Miles and Kerry were sitting two rows behind them and snickering as they threw skittles at the back of Brandon’s head, and then talking to each other when he turned around. On the other side, Ryan and Jack were talking with each other, while Michael was sitting beside them, just blankly staring into space. JJ was in deep conversation with Kara, and the two kept glancing up at him, making him nervous.

He stopped surveying the crowd when the music started playing. Lindsay came down the aisle first, a gossamer dress of Lavender flowing around her and a chain of Posies braided into her hair, the smile on her face radiating sunlight. Next came Barbara, a silent angel with her dress dragging just a little on the ground, her hair simply curled and hung over her shoulders. Arryn followed her, a dark beauty with her dark hair pulled up into a classy high ponytail. Then came Gavin, looking slightly embarrassed as he walked down the aisle, his Lavender suit trimmed with lilacs and a small bouquet of Baby’s Breath with a single red rose in the center. There were snickers in the audience and he hurried forward, his cheeks flushed as he dubiously avoided the eyes of anyone in the front couple of rows.

Then the music started the traditional wedding march, and Joel snapped his eyes back up to the doors in the back. He watched as they slowly opened and his eyes widened. Geoff was walking down the aisle, his suit well tailored and his tie on properly for once, probably done by Griffon, who was sitting in the second row, watching him admiringly. But that wasn’t who Joel was looking at. He was looking at the man on Geoff’s arm. He didn’t look like a prince. He didn’t look like an angel. His hair was mussed, as if it had been slicked back and fluffed up multiple times. His lips were slightly chapped and had scabs on them. His index finger on his right hand was twitching and his glasses were halfway off of his face. He didn’t look gorgeous. He looked like Ray. He didn’t look like a porcelain bride that day, no, he had some stress lines and flushed cheeks and wide eyes and a huge grin and he was just so Ray that Joel’s breath hitched and his mouth grew into a grin and he felt like he had just jumped off of a building and was in free fall. He watched the men make their way up the aisle, the couple keeping each other’s eyes until they were standing a foot apart.

The minister went through his spiel, Joel and Ray listening politely. Then he called on both of them. The “I do’s” were said and the rings were brought out. Then came the vows. Joel launched into a speech, a script about how Ray made him happier than anything else ever could. Then came Ray’s turn. He pulled out a note card, taking a breath as though to speak. Instead, he simply folded the paper in half, slipping it into Joel’s coat pocket. There was a moment of silence before the queue, and Joel grabbed Ray, kissing him harshly, hardly able to contain himself. Cheers erupted from the crowd, and the rest of the night passed in a flurry of food and dancing and drinks and friends and congratulations.

That night, while Ray was in the shower, Joel was sitting on their bed. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the pristine note card. He unfolded it, smiling down at the black inked petals staring back at him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right.

“Joel, are you ever going to come join in the festivities of your own party?”

Joel looked up at the smiling, pleading face above him. He sighed.

“I’m sorry Ray. This just isn’t something I really want to celebrate.”

“Why not Joel? Now you get to spend all your time at home! You can focus on that screenplay you’ve been working on for years!”

Joel smiled at that. “Yeah Ray, I guess you’re right.”

Ray yanked on his arm. “Well come on then, Mr. Grumpy Pants! Let’s go enjoy your party!”

As Joel stood up, Ray grabbed his hand, leading him over towards the house. Joel felt the brush of paper, and when Ray pulled his hand out to grab a hot dog off of the plate, Joel looked down, smiling as he didn’t even have to unfold the piece of yellow paper to know what it contained. He slid it into his pocket, standing next to Ray as he surveyed the area.

A lot of the office was gathered in Geoff’s backyard, where most parties seemed to take place. Geoff and Griffon were standing by the barbecue. Burnie was talking to JJ, the new office manager, about the plans for season 27 of RVB. Gavin and Kerry were playing with Michael and Lindsay’s kid, and Miles was talking with Monty about what they were going to do about the new designs for the new RWBY 3D printers they were coming out with. Gus was there with Esther, even though he had retired a few years earlier, he still had friendships in the company.

Joel looked around at his friends, knowing that they all meant the best by this, but he still couldn’t help but feel sad. He had worked at Rooster Teeth for a good chunk of his life. He wasn’t sure he could just leave it that easily. He was sure that he was still going to be invited to events and get-togethers, parties and movie nights. He was still going to be friends with them all. But he wasn’t sure how he was going to cope with being alone in the apartment while Ray was at work, hanging out with all of their friends.

Joel sighed, glancing at his reflection in the window. No wonder they were eager to get rid of him. His mostly gray hair was nothing compared to what Matt’s was, but he knew that he wasn’t exactly 40 anymore. Worry lines had showed up a few years ago, and next to his husband, he was feeling older than ever.

He felt a nudge in his side, being brought out of his thoughts by Ray’s elbow in his ribs. “Stop wallowing in self pity and enjoy your friends.”

He couldn’t help but smile back, joining Ray as he grabbed a glass of milk, getting himself a scotch and heading off towards the corner of the lawn where Barbara and Gavin were sitting with their twins.

Ray watched Joel lean down, talking to the kids and booping little Kara on the nose. They had always considered adopting, but the time had never seemed right. At this moment, he was almost glad that they didn’t. The last thing that Joel needed was a 20-year-old kid making him feel even older. No, he was glad with what they had. Watching Joel with the kids made his heart melt though. Joel would have been a great dad. Ray had always been able to tell that much.

Ray shook himself out of his musings, bending down as well to listen to Joel tell the kids the story of the time Ray and Michael had to save Gavin from drunkenly jumping off of the office roof with a garbage bag as a parachute.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right.

“Is he gonna be ok?”

“Yes, he’ll be fine. It was just a fracture, the two of you will be out of here in no time.”

The voices were fuzzy at best, but he could hear enough of the conversation to grasp that he was lying in a hospital. The conversation ceased, and all he heard was silence   
for a minute. Worried he was alone, Ray managed to pull himself back into reality.

He tilted his head and groaned, the movement making sparks dance in front of his eyes. He had never been very good with medicine, especially not the kind that knocks you the fuck out and allows them to open you up and move shit around. Especially not that kind.

“Ray?” He heard Joel’s voice, sighing in content as he realized that he was in fact not alone. He tried to hurry the pain in his head away, but the more he fought, the more it hurt, so he eventually just stopped fighting and let himself float lazily back to the surface of consciousness. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Joel’s slightly worried, mostly relieved face hovering above his own.

“Oh Ray, thank god you woke up!”

“Why was I asleep?”

Apparently the dazed look on his face mixed with the not joking tone that he had used sent Joel into a fit of laughter, almost crying and wheezing until he stopped.

“You weren’t asleep Ray. You slid on the stairs to the second floor and fractured your hip bone.”

“Did I really? How the hell did I manage that?”

“I don’t know, but if I ever get a call again from the front desk about you passed out on the stairs and the ambulance already on its way, I might just end up beating you to death myself.”

Ray laughed, loving the smile that lit up Joel’s face when he did. The two talked for a while, Joel only leaving when the doctor came in to check up on Ray and tell the two when they would be allowed to leave.

“He’s healing up fine, but a morning check up would be a smart idea. I would advise you to stay the night.”

Joel immediately agreed, and Ray rolled his eyes at his husband’s over protectiveness. He did agree to stay the night though, talking more with Joel before he felt himself slip into a comatose state again.

When he woke up at 1 am, he found Joel still in the chair next to him, sleeping soundly. He smiled, watching him for a moment. Joel always looked so calm in sleep.

Ray turned to the table, reaching out for the notepad. He stopped for a minute at the sight of the IV stuck in his arm, but shrugged it off and grabbed the notepad and pen. The papers themselves had a pretty scene of a lighthouse and a forest. He smiled as he sketched out the lines, tearing off the page and laying it on Joel’s lap before lying down and going back to sleep.

It was around 5 am when Joel woke up, looking around for a minute, trying to remember where he was and why he was sleeping in a chair. He stretched, feeling his neck pop and hearing a slight rustling of paper. He looked down to see that something was knocked off of his lap.

Joel bent forward, retrieving the paper from the floor. He smiled at it, looking at the sound asleep man on the bed before folding it twice and putting it in his pocket.

The doctor came in an hour later, did the check up, prescribed a pain medication, and let the two be on their way. They picked up the medication on the way home, taking the elevator up to their apartment and crashing on the couch, putting on an old classic (The Original Hobbit part 2: The Desolation of Smaug) and settled in for a night of cuddling.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray likes to draw roses for Joel when he feels sad, or just any time that it feels right.

Ray walked across the soft, springy grass, a lush green in the spring sun. Families were gathered around him, but he didn’t take much notice. He walked along the paths tread by many, and stopped right near the corner of the enclosure.

Joel had been buried under a drooping pine tree that was constantly dropping needles and cones onto the perfect lawn. The tombstone was just like the ones around it, a name, some years, and Ray’s name, labeled as loving spouse. The bottom part of the stone was covered by a few flowerpots and trinkets, an old framed photo of Joel, Gus, Geoff and Burnie. He knew that Gus was on the other side of the cemetery, but that visit was for another day.

He wasn’t sure who had brought the bouquet of roses, but it didn’t look all that wilted, so it must have been fairly recent. He smiled a little, imagining Gavin standing here, Geoff, Griffon, Burnie, anyone he could picture bending over and placing the flowers on the soft ground.

He knelt down, setting the small box he was holding on the grass. He opened the lid, taking out the papers inside. He shuffled through them, petals drawn in black ink bringing on memories that he hadn’t had in years. He looked at them for a while before putting them away, closing the lid and tying it off in ribbon with fumbling fingers. He set the box next to the roses, drawing his hand back slowly, not quite wanting to give up those final good memories. But he drew his hand back, clutching it in his lap and sitting there for a while.

He remembered all those days in the sun. Going to central park and having a snowball fight in the dead of winter. The surprise honeymoon to Florida, where Joel got so sick on Space Mountain that he had to heave for almost an hour. The time when Gavin had stolen their van for a slo mo guys shoot and they tracked him down for 3 days and all laughed about it like idiots. The good memories, the bad memories, he sat there, remembering them all.

He leaned forward, bracing his hands on the stone in front of him and placed a small kiss on the spot right above the name.

“Don’t worry Joel. I know that you hate being alone. But just think of how much writing you’ll get done until I get there.”

_____

Michael had to look away from his friend, instead watching as Lindsay, Gavin, Barbara and the twins paid their respects to Gus.

“Daddy?”

He looked down to where Taylor was holding his little sister’s hand. “Yes sweetheart?”

“Why is uncle Ray over there instead of here?”

“Well, uncle Ray had someone else to go see today.”

“Did he love that someone?”

“Yes sweetheart he did. Very much so.”

“As much as you love me?”

“Just about honey.”

“I could tell he did.”

Michael looked back over to Ray, who was still sitting in front of the grave.

“How so sweetheart?”

“I’ve never seen uncle Ray cry before.”

Michael glanced back over to the still form of his best friend before grabbing Elise’s hand.

“Come on sweetie. We’ll go wait for uncle Ray in the car.”


End file.
